Your Cholesterol

Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat, made in the body by the liver, Cholesterol also comes into the body through some foods- this is called -dietary' cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal products (such as offal, fatty meats, full fat diary products and egg yolks). Plant foods- such as avocados, nuts, grain, fruit and vegetables- don't have any dietary cholesterol.

Two main types of cholesterol are checked:
LDL- often called the -bad' cholesterol because it goes into the bloodstream and clogs up your arties.
HDL- often called the -good' cholesterol because it helps to take the -bad' cholesterol out of your bloodstream.

Total cholesterol:
Normal: 5.5 or less
At risk: More than 5.5

HDL cholesterol:
Normal: 1.0 or more
Less than 1.0

Eating healthy foods as part of a well-balanced diet will help keep your blood cholesterol in check.

How to improve your cholesterol
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are healthier fats that reduce the -bad' cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) in your blood and increase the -good' cholesterol (HDL cholesterol). This helps to lower your risk of getting heart disease.

Saturated and trans fats are less healthy fats that can increase total and LDL cholesterol, which increases your risk of getting heart disease.

Replacing foods that contain saturated fats with foods that contain polyunsatured and monounsatured fats will help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Limiting your intake of foods such as cakes, pastries, pies and biscuits will not only lower your saturated fat intake but also your trans fat intake.

Foods low in refined carbohydrates and high in dietary fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can reduce the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. Foods containing soluble fibre include fruits, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, four bean mix and baked beans) and cereals (oats and barley).

The Heart Foundation recommends that all Australians eat two to three serves of oily fish each week. Oily fish contains omega-3s, which are a type of polyunsatuared fat that helps to reduce your risk of getting heart disease.

A healthy balanced diet can include a serve of eggs (two eggs) in two to three meals a week.
Increasing physical activity and quitting smoking can also assist you to reduce your cholesterol.

Tips for reducing your cholesterol
Include foods high in polyunsaturated fats such as:
Margarine spreads and oils (such as sunflower, soybean and safflower)
Fish
Some nuts and seeds
Foods high in mono-unsaturated fats include:
margarine spreads and oils (such as olive, canola and peanut)
avocados
some nuts.

For further information please contact:
The Heart Foundation on 1300 36 27 87 or www.heartfoundation.org.au
The Better Health Channel on www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au